Distribution and Life History:Gersemia
is a colonial soft coral in the cnidarian Class Anthozoa, which also includes the sea
anemones, sea pens, and other corals. Soft corals of this genus are found worldwide from
the Arctic to the Antarctic. Most corals reproduce asexually as well as sexually. The
sexes are usually separate. A planula larvae is produced which is usually not dispersed
very far from the parent colony (Cimberg et al., 1981). Some Gersemia contain
bioactive compounds that deter predatory sea stars and fishes (Slattery and McClintock,
1995).

Gersemia rubiformis and/or G. fruticosa - Gersemia
in the SE Bering Sea belong to either one of, or both of these species. These species are
distributed in the north Atlantic and in the Pacific from the Bering Sea south to
California (Koltun, 1955, Gotshall, 1994). Within Alaska, Gersemia has the widest
distributional, temperature, and substrate preference range of all Alaskan corals (Cimberg
et al., 1981). Kessler (1985) calls it common north of the Alaska Peninsula. Gersemia
looks entirely different out of water than it does when it is inflated in water. When
inflated, groups of small polyps form thick, soft, red lobes in colonies that can reach a
height of about 25 cm (Koltun, 1955). When contracted, the colony has a brain-like
appearance and is considerably smaller. Colonies are found attached to stones or shell. Gersemia
is thought to be a plankton feeder (O'Clair and O'Clair, 1998).